Bear Digest

Ben Johnson provides closer look at how he handles the helm

Analysis: From play caller and designer to the man calling the shots, it's a new role for Bears coach Ben Johnson and he offered up insight into what it requires.
Gene Chamberlain|
Ben Johnson on Week 1 preparations
Ben Johnson on Week 1 preparations

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Chicago Bears

It was the end of January and new Bears coach Ben Johnson needed to explain what all coordinators must when they take the step up to become head coaches.

He needed to tell everyone how and why he could be the coordinator who makes the transition to greater responsibility, heading up the whole team and not just scoring points.

"The role or responsibilities are completely different, and I'm well aware of that, and I know that a lot of coordinators have failed in this role," Johnson said at the time. "Here's what I’d tell you is every step of my journey, whether it's quality control, whether it was position coach, whether it was coordinator, I have found a way to change myself to be the best in that particular job.

"And so now that the job requirements are changing and I'm no longerjust coaching an offensive player or an offensive unit. This is the entire team, and the good news is this, I am a football coach, so I will be able to change and adjust accordingly."

Fast forward to this week. Used to game-planning to face opposing defenses over the last three years, Johnson now is experiencing the different role he spoke about on that January day when the Bears brought him to Halas Hall to meet Chicago media for the first time.

Games mean something and he'll still need to work with the game plan, but now he is the head coach and presiding over the full 53-man roster.

"Shoot, you have the whole team, so you're worried about actives, inactives, seeing the big picture," Johnson said Wednesday.

Another responsibility is meeting with the bosses, apparently.

"Had (president/CEO) Kevin (Warren) stop by yesterday, and we talked for a little bit, and had (GM) Ryan (Poles) stop by yesterday, and we talked for a little bit," Johnson said.

"Conversations that normally don't occur, as a coordinator, they're popping up on a weekly occurrence now, which is a good thing."

Discussion subject matter sounds like it was a game-planning report in the broadest of terms.

"We talked about the alignment with (chairman) George (H. McCaskey) and Kevin and Ryan, and we're all on the same page in how we want to attack the season, attack this week.

"We'll formulate the game plan from there."

For Johnson, though, it's game-planning from three standpoints now, with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower and his offensive staff including coordinator Declan Doyle.

"To me, it's integrating the three phases, which I haven't been a part of that game planning process (in the past)," Johnson said. "I've seen it and look to carry out my orders, per se, but now, it's coming up with a plan to attack that (opponent) and come out with the W at the end of the day."

If does this Monday and sets the city on fire, he'll be back on Tuesday morning trying to repeat the process.


It's what the guy calling the shots does.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.